amounted to

USAGE SUMMARY

"amounted to" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to describe an accumulation of something or an increase in something over a period of time. For example: "The donations to the charity amounted to over $1 million last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Neither amounted to much.

The Economist

Exports amounted to $593.4 billion.

The Economist

The circulation amounted to betw.

The New Yorker

(His prize amounted to $5).

The New York Times - Arts

But it amounted to exile.

The New Yorker

Desserts amounted to little.

The New York Times

Claims amounted to £750m.

The Guardian

In 2007 the deals amounted to $29.7m.

The Guardian - Business

But none of it amounted to much.

The New York Times - Sports

His policies amounted to de-Stalinization.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Mr Wang said this amounted to torture.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the subject of the sentence logically leads to the amount being described. For example, "The total expenses amounted to $500" is correct, while "The weather amounted to $500" would be incorrect.

Common error

Avoid using "amounted to" when you actually mean "resulted in" or "led to". "Amounted to" is about quantity or total, not cause and effect. For instance, don't say "His negligence amounted to the accident"; instead, say "His negligence resulted in the accident".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "amounted to" functions as a verb phrase indicating a final sum or equivalent. It describes the result of accumulation or calculation. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase follows standard grammatical rules and is widely accepted in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Wiki

20%

Science

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

11%

Encyclopedias

9%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "amounted to" is a versatile and grammatically correct verb phrase used to express a final sum or result. Ludwig AI validates its wide acceptance and adherence to standard grammatical rules. It appears most frequently in news articles and scientific publications, though it is suitable for various writing contexts. While alternatives like "totaled" and "came to" exist, "amounted to" maintains a neutral tone and can be readily used. Just remember to avoid using it when you mean "resulted in" or "caused by".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

totaled

This alternative is a more concise and direct way of saying "amounted to", often used when referring to numerical sums.

came to

This alternative phrase is slightly more informal than "amounted to" but conveys the same meaning of reaching a total.

equaled

This alternative signifies that two things are the same in value or amount, similar to "amounted to" in specific contexts.

represented

This alternative focuses on the proportion or share something constitutes, instead of a pure quantity.

constituted

This alternative emphasizes the components that make up a whole, whereas "amounted to" emphasizes the final quantity.

aggregated to

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the process of gathering separate items into a total.

summed up to

This alternative highlights the process of adding individual values to reach a final sum.

reached a total of

This alternative is a more verbose way of saying "amounted to", adding emphasis to the reaching of a final figure.

translated to

This alternative signifies conversion or equivalence rather than a direct numerical sum.

ballooned to

This alternative implies a rapid and significant increase to a large amount or size.

FAQs

How can I use "amounted to" in a sentence?

Use "amounted to" when you want to express the final sum or total of something. For example, "The total cost of the project "amounted to" $1 million."

What are some alternatives to "amounted to"?

You can use alternatives like "totaled", "came to", or "equaled" depending on the context. For instance, "The donations totaled $5000" is similar to saying "The donations "amounted to" $5000."

Is it correct to say "amounted to be"?

No, it is not correct. "Amounted to" is already a complete verb phrase, so adding "be" is redundant. The correct usage is "The damages "amounted to" $1000", not "The damages amounted to be $1000".

What's the difference between "amounted to" and "attributed to"?

"Amounted to" refers to a sum or total, while "attributed to" means caused by or credited to. "The losses "amounted to" $2 million" indicates the total loss, whereas "The losses were attributed to the hurricane" means the hurricane caused the losses.